Holder for pot covers or the like



Dec. 15, 1953 E. E. JOHNSON HOLDER FOR POT COVERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1950 I INVENTOR. ELMER E. JOHN$0N mzfiz w I ATTOkNEY Patented Dec. 15,1953 7 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFF ICE HOLDERFOR POT COVERS OR THE LIKE Elmer- E. Johnson, Sausalito, Calif.

Application April3, 1950, Serial No. 153,665

2 Claims. (01. 248-293) This invention relates to a device for holding a, potcover or similar article. Summarizing the. invention, the device comprises a bracket, member adapted. to be-secured to a supporting surface, a holder element pivotally mounted on the bracket member, and resilient means which urges the holder element toward the surfacesothatthe not cover is held between the holder element and the surface; The holder element is forked to-accommodatethe cover. Objectsbf'the invention are-to provide an arrangementof thetype described which will enable the cover to beheld inotherwise unused space such asunder azshelfor onthe backof a cabinet door, which, will. protect, the cover. from becoming dentedv. and. which, is, of simple and economical construction. Qtherobjectswillzbecome apparent from a perusal of the following description of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view. of. the holder and a pot cover which it is adapted'to hold;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the holder and a pot cover held by the holder against the underside of a cabinet shelf;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a cover held against a vertical wall; the position which the holder element has before the cover is positioned thereon being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the holder;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken in a plane indicated by line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

The device comprises a bracket member 2 and a holder element 3. Bracket 2 is formed of a metal stamping having a planar base portion 4, a flange 6 at one end and side flanges I which extend to a position adjacent the opposite end 8 of the base portion. The opposite ends of flange 6 are formed as ears 9 having apertures therein for receiving screws I l adapted to provide means for securing the device to any suitable supporting surface.

Means is provided adjacent end 8 of the bracket opposite to the securing flange end 6, to pivotally connect holder element to the bracket member. Such means comprises a pivot pin l2 which is secured in triangularly shaped side flanges l3 formed on a metal plate I4 providing the base of holder element 3. Pin I2 is pivoted in apertures in side flanges l; and spring means is provided for continually urging the holder element to a. position toward the securing flange 6 of the bracket member so that the holder element is continually urged toward the surface on which the device is secured.

Such spring means may be or afiy suitable construction, but preferably comprises a spring element having end coils l6 about pivot pin l2, 2. central portion l1 engaging an inturned lug l8 at the bracket end of plate l 4}.and.straight ends [9 engaging base portion l of the bracket. By pivotal connection of the holder element to the bracket member at thedescr'ibe'd location, the end 8 of the bracket memberp'rovides a stop for limiting the direction of'pivotal' movement of the holder element toward the. securing. end of the bracket or in other words; the surface'to which thebracket is secured. Also,.it will-be noted that such stop causes the holder element to' make an acute angle with respect to the. bracket member for a purpose to be subsequently explained; I

The remainder of'tlie holder element comprises a pair of metal armsor prongszl which form a forked structureto accommodate the handle and the usual curvature of apot cover 20; the arms or prongs comprisingrinner" spaced portions 22 which are suitably secured to plate ll" of the holder element by any suitable means such as spot welding, and portions 23 which diverge outwardly from adjacent the bracket member. Theoutwardly diverging character of these prongs. facilitates entrance of the pot cover between the prongs, and also accommodation of the usual.

curvature of the cover. The outer portions 24 of outwardly diverging portions 23 are angularly" disposed outwardly to provide a more or less cam.

surface for facilitating reception of the cover.

The holder may be mounted at any suitable location. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 2, it. may be conveniently attached underneath a shelf. 26 fastened to a wall 21. As shown in Fig. 3, it.

may be mounted on a vertical wall surface 28 which may be the inside of a cabinet door or may be an outside wall. In this connection, to con serve space, the holder may be mounted in angular position with reference to vertical instead of a vertical position as shown.

Because of the resilient pressing of the holder element toward the surface upon which the device is supported, the pot cover will be firmly held or clamped between the holder element of the device and the wall surface, thereby obviating rattling. At the same time, since the stop edge 8 limits the position of the holder element resulting from thrust of the resilient means, as shown by the dotted line position in Fig. 3, an opening will prevail at the end of the holder element at which the cover is inserted, to facilitate reception of the cover. This is also facilitated by the angular disposition of the outer end portions 24 of the holder element prongs.

The fixed acute angle positioning of the holder element with respect to the bracket member, obtained by virtue of the stop edge 8 against which the holder element abuts when it is not holding a cover, insures suflicient space for reception of the cover. Also, such stop maintains the holder element in a fixed position when the device is attached to the supporting surface, so as to facilitate attachment thereof without interference from parts which might otherwise move.

I claim:

1. A holder for a pot cover or the like comprising a bracket member having a base portion, means adjacent one end of said base portion adapted to be secured to a supporting surface with said base portion projecting perpendicular from said surface, a holder element extending always in substantially the same direction as said surface; means pivotally mounting said holder element adjacent the opposite end of said base portion with said holder element projecting transversely with respect to said base portion, said opposite end of said base portion forming a stop to limit movement of said holder element toward said one end of said base portion with the free end of said holder element positioned inwardly of said one end of said base portion whereby a space is provided between the free end of said holder element and said surface for reception of said cover; said holder element comprising a pair of prongs diverging outwardly from adjacent said bracket member, the outer end portions of said prongs having an opening therebetween and being angularly disposed outwardly from the plane in which the inner portions of said prongs lie to facilitate reception of said cover; and spring means between said bracket member and said holder element for urging said holder element toward said surface and said stop whereby the cover is adapted to be held between said surface and said holder element.

2. A holder for a pot cover or the like consisting essentially of a bracket member and a holder element, said bracket member comprising a substantially flat base portion having flange means adjacent one end thereof adapted to be secured to a supporting surface with said base portion perpendicular to said surface, said holder element extending always in substantially the same direction as said surface, means pivotally mounting said holder element adjacent the opposite end of said base portion with said holder element projecting always transversely with respect to said base portion, said opposite end of said base portion forming a stop to limit movement of said holder element toward the end of said base portion provided with said flange means, and spring means between said bracket member and said holder element urging said holder element always toward said surface and said stop, said holder element comprising a pair of prongs diverging outwardly from adjacent said pivotal mounting means whereby the cover can be accommodated between said prongs and held between said surface and said prongs.

ELMER E. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 302,162 Ruland July 15, 1884 1,328,271 Dutemple Jan. 20, 1920 1,508,957. Collins Sept. 16, 1924 1,925,540 Neuschotz Sept. 5, 1933 2,456,129 Krogh Dec. 14, 1948 2,500,032 Helberg Mar. '7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 743,142 France Jan. 6, 1933 

